Dear Readers, The healthy superfood Goji Berry is said to strengthen the eyes, heart, and immune system, help with weight loss and protect skin and body from aging. We took a closer look at the berry!
Goji Berry Magic for Beauty and Health
Origin of the Goji Berry
It is not known where the goji berry, also known as the wolfberry, originally came from. But it probably comes from areas between Southwest Asia and Southeast Europe. The fruit of the common wolfberry is mainly grown in the Chinese province of Ningxia. In Asian countries, goji has long been considered a remedy because of its positive effects. Fruits, as well as leaves, bark, roots, and seeds, are useful.
The Goji Plant
The goji shrub grows up to three meters high and is expansively wide with gray-green, long, narrow leaves. From June to August the shrub is adorned with small purple-purple, bell-shaped flowers. The fresh goji berries are orange-yellow to bright red in color and can be up to two centimeters long. The goji berries offer in the supermarket are, however, cultivating forms of the plant, as the fruits of the wild plants are not suitable for consumption.
Goji in Chinese Medicine
In traditional Chinese medicine, the goji berry is valued for its numerous ingredients.
Fertility
If the menstrual period fails or the breaks become longer, goji berries are said to help to compensate for the lack of blood and to normalize the cycle and in this way increase fertility.
Childbirth and Breastfeeding
Goji berries believes to help babies grow teeth, bones, and muscles. In mothers, they are supposed to counteract hair loss and breastfeeding dementia.
Menopause
A tea made from berries is said to help bring the periods back into balance and thus alleviate certain menopausal symptoms.
Potency
In Chinese medicine, goji considers a general tonic. It supposes to increase the amount of sperm and provide more strength and endurance.
Skin
The fruit is also useful in skincare: as a means for beautiful skin, a healthy, radiant complexion, and against wrinkles.
Immune system
Goji berries support the immune system and make the body more resistant to diseases.
Ingredients of the Goji Berry
The goji berry scores with a whole cocktail of valuable ingredients: The small berries are said to have a positive effect on the eyes, body, immune system and intestinal flora and also help with weight loss.
Phytochemicals
They suppose to reduce the risk of cancer, prevent a heart attack, protect against pathogens and strengthen the immune system.
Antioxidants
The goji berry scores with a particularly high proportion of antioxidants: it contains a thousand times more than oranges! Oxidative stress is partly responsible for the aging process in our body. The anti-oxidative effect of the berry can restore the balance within the cells. In this way the oxidative stress reduces.
Polysaccharides
We are talking about multiple sugars – a chain of single sugars. They have an immunomodulating effect on our body because they activate our T lymphocytes. These act as part of our immune system and help fight viruses and cancer cells. They also have a positive effect on our intestinal flora, as they represent an energy source for our intestinal bacteria.
Amino acids
A total of 19 different amino acids are contained in the goji berry. The body cannot produce ten of them itself, which is why they are added to the body from outside. The need can be adequately covered with the red berry.
Trace elements
Goji berries contain a large number of trace elements such as iron, zinc, copper, and chromium. Among other things, these are essential for the transport of oxygen in the blood. 50 grams of goji berries are enough to completely cover the daily iron requirement!
Vitamins and minerals
Vitamins and minerals are essential for the performance and health of our bodies. The small berries contain several vitamins in very high doses: The superfood mainly contains a high proportion of B vitamins and vitamin C and vitamin E. No other fruit scores with as much vitamin B as the goji berry. Vitamin E is considered a skin and beauty vitamin.
Lose weight with Goji Berries
While goji berries are not a panacea for weight loss, they can help the process. Thanks to their low glycemic index, the blood sugar level rises only very slowly and thus helps to reduce food cravings. The fiber ensures a long-lasting feeling of satiety. In addition, goji berries score with a high proportion of amino acids, which help to replenish the energy stores in the body and in this way to increase the energy level. With just a small portion of the dry fruit, the body supply essential vitamins, and minerals. In this way, deficiency symptoms can prevent during a diet.
Goji berries in Skin Care
The berry is a cocktail of healthy ingredients and is therefore often useful in skincare for the face and body. The goji berry extract has a soothing effect on the skin and accelerates its regeneration processes. In face and anti-wrinkle creams, Goji ensures firm and elastic skin. This prevents and reduces wrinkles. As a body oil or lotion, the ingredients conjure up soft, smooth, and beautiful skin. Hand cream with goji can also be useful for dry and chapped hands. It provides moisture and protects against discoloration (e.g. pigment spots) and external factors such as wind and frost.
Buy Goji Berries
In principle, you should ensure that the dry berries are of good quality, organic berries are ideal. These are pesticide-free and can conveniently order online. If you want to make sure that the berries have not been treated with pesticides, you can easily grow them yourself in the garden, harvest the fresh berries and then dry them yourself. The berries are perfect as a small, healthy snack in between, in muesli, but also for cooking and baking.
Diet with Goji Berries
So that the berries can develop their effect, they should be integrated into the diet as regularly as possible. They are available dry, as juice, capsules, tea, or powder.
Rule of thumb: 10 to 30 grams of the valuable berry cover the daily requirement of all important vitamins.
However, side effects from an overdose are almost impossible, as the body can simply excrete excess vitamins.
Recipes with Goji Berries
Since the red superfood is relatively expensive, you shouldn’t necessarily replace whole fruit portions with it. However, it provides an extra portion of ingredients and taste in yogurt, salads, muesli, or bread, for example.
Goji Berries Tea
To turn the dried goji berries into tea, all you need is a handful of the red berries and hot water. Let the tea steep for a few minutes – the healthy drink is ready. Do not throw the berries away afterward! They still taste very good and still have their healthy ingredients in them!
Yogurt with Goji Berries
The berries are also suitable as a healthy superfood for breakfast. Scatter a handful of the small berries over your yogurt or granola. If you want, you can also add cinnamon, honey, agave syrup, and additional fruits here. The high-quality ingredients provide energy for the whole day.
Apple Goji Salad
What you need:
2 apples
Walnuts 3 teaspoons
3 teaspoons of sunflower seeds
3 teaspoons of soaked goji berries
Soak the goji berries in water for at least half an hour. If you like it sweet, you can also use apple juice for it, for example. Then cut the apples into small pieces and mix all the ingredients thoroughly. If you like, you can add cinnamon, maple syrup, or honey to the salad.
Disclaimer: If any health issue or pregnant women consult your doctor before using the above remedies.
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